


Precipitation

by redeem147



Category: Angel: the Series
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-12
Updated: 2011-08-12
Packaged: 2017-10-22 13:28:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/238528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redeem147/pseuds/redeem147
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the alley fight is going badly, team Angel gets some unexpected help, leading to a long-awaited reunion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Precipitation

Four heros stood against the darkness, putting their lives on the line. Rain beat down on their battered bodies, blood and water mixing in pools at their feet. They would most likely never see the end of this night, but weapons raised, they prepared to charge the armies of the underworld.

Suddenly, with a boisterous ‘whoop', a young girl dropped down in their midst, red handled axe held tight in her hands. "Need some help?"

As the four heros looked up into the sky, more girls dropped from the fire escapes lining the alley. Appearing from nowhere, an army descended.

The heroes smiled, the battle no longer seeming overwhelming. The outcome no longer inevitable.

*****

"I ought to kick your scrawny butt." Buffy swung her scythe over her shoulder, staring into familiar blue eyes.

After their defeat, the demon army had faded back into the portal from whence they had come. The alley was packed with Slayers, both those who had come down from above, and those who had confronted the demons from behind.

Spike didn't notice them. All he could see was the angry young woman standing in front of him, looking like she was considering using either business end of the scythe. On him.

"Buffy," Angel said, "it's still pouring. Shouldn't we be getting your girls inside?"

"Shut up," she snapped. "I'm mad at you, too." Then, realizing not only that it was still raining, but that too many eyes were on her, she yelled, "Will! Get the girls inside somewhere. I have," she glared at Spike, "Something to take care of."

"We're not far from the Hyperion. I'll take you."

"That's okay, Angel," Willow called, "I know the way."

"I know this one. I will go with her. These mortals have wounds to tend." Illyria picked up Gunn and, though there was little room, walked through the crowd as through parting waves.

Willow looked at her as she walked by. "Fred?"

Angel looked first at Buffy, then at Spike, then shook his head. "I'm going in too. I'm going to try and call my girlfriend, if she's still talking to me." He lay a hand on Buffy's shoulder. "Thanks."

"Hmpft. Right. Whatever."

Soon it was the two of them, vampire and Slayer, man and woman, standing alone in the rain.

"Buffy," his hands extended in a gesture of surrender, Spike pleaded, "I can explain."

"Yeah? So explain."

"Ah..." He dropped his head and sighed, "It's hard to explain."

"God, Spike!" She fought to control her anger and her tears. Turning from him she balled her fists, her nails digging into her palms. "All this time. You know how I felt. I told you how I felt, and you let me go on believing..."

"I tried to go to you. So many times." He stared at her back. "Turn around and look at me. Please." She turned, tenuously, hoping the rain would mask her tears. "I didn't know how you felt, Buffy. I know how I wanted you to feel. How I felt."

"Yeah? How was that?"

His face tensed in frustration. "How can you ask me that?" Threw his hands to the skies and looked up. "How can she ask me that?" He looked at her, trying to keep his voice even. "I would do anything for you. Got my soul for you. I love you more than anything I'll ever see, ever know."

Her expression softened, but there was still an edge to her voice. "But you didn't believe me. I told you and you didn't believe me."

He thought about all the reasons he had to distrust her. His belief that in the end she was only trying to make his sacrifice easier. But he saw it in her face, and something inside him broke. In the end all he could say was a gentle "I'm sorry."

She dropped her scythe to the ground as she dropped her defences, and it was enough.

*****

He told her she'd catch cold if they didn't get out of the rain. Besides, dreary as the sky was, the day would break very soon. She told him she didn't want to be around other people. "I know a place," he said. "Not far."

They walked through the LA streets. At one point he paused, shook his head, and stared. "Well, bugger that."

"What? That parking lot? So what?" She tugged at his hand. "Come on. I think the rain's lightening up, and you're right about the sun."

"Right. It's just... Yesterday that was the Wolfram and Hart building."

*****

"This isn't a crypt."

Spike raised an eyebrow. "No, it's an apartment. Demon bang your head, did he?"

"You have an apartment." She looked around the room. "The crypt was fancier. This is a little..."

"Sparse? Spartan? Yeah, well, haven't had the chance to brighten the place up. I do have an X-Box." He looked with distain at the water pooling on his floor. "Mind not dripping?"

"Oh." She reddened a bit. "Sorry." Opening his closet to hang up her wet jacket, her eyes widened. "You have, like, six dusters in here."

"Eight." He shrugged. "Long story."

She turned to him. "You're dripping too."

"My place. Drip if I want."

"My god." Her muscles tightened in frustration. "We're doing it again. Look at us, bickering. I thought, once I saw you, everything would be okay. You'd say you were sorry for not coming to me, and I'd say I was sorry for not telling you sooner, and we'd fall into each other's arms and..."

"And everything would be okay. Had that dream too, love." He took a step towards her... "But it isn't a dream, is it?"

She took a step towards him. "Not a dream. I'm sorry."

"So am I." Leaned in. "Wasted so much time. Buffy, I..." His eyes rolled back in his head, "Shit," as he collapsed onto the floor.

*****

She pulled off his coat. When she was getting him out of his wet shirt she found the wound, red and ragged under his rib cage. Something had gotten a piece of him. She finished stripping him and laid him on his bed.

It had been hours, but blood still seeped from the deep gash. She cleaned it with a towel from his bathroom, and bound the wound with bandages from his cupboard, but the bindings quickly reddened.

"Buffy?" he moaned.

"Shh." She climbed beside him on the bed, cradling him close.

"What happened?"

"Something got you in the fight. It isn't healing. I think it might be poisoned."

He barely whispered something and she leaned in close to hear. "Bloody hell."

She smiled. Here was her Spike, in her arms. But the smile quickly turned to tears. "It's gonna be okay, baby. Don't worry. Gonna be okay."

"S'okay. Dying in your arms? S'okay."

"No, Spike. No dying." But she saw him slipping away. Rained kisses on his peaceful face. "Spike, please. You have to bite me."

"No."

"Spike." Desperately, she reached beside the bed. Took the almost-empty beer bottle and smashed it against the night table. Ripped a gash into her left forearm and held it against his lips. "Drink, baby. Come on."

A trickle down his throat. Warm and sweet. Strong. Good. More. His face shifted and fangs extended. Bit down harder and sucked.

Light exploded in his head. She was in him, and around him, and he was in her. Not just slayer blood, though that would have done it. Love's sacrifice. Love. Buffy. "No!"

He snapped back into human face and looked down at her, silent on the bed. How much had he taken? What had she done? "Buffy?"

Her eyes opened, and she smiled. "Now that was a hell of an orgasm."

*****

She picked up some eggs at the Korean market and ate them while she watched him sleep. Vampires slept so quietly. She'd never told him that one of the things she loved about him was his lack of snoring.

She checked the wound, but it was almost healed. Just a faint pink line.

His eyes flickered open. "Hey."

"Hey. How you feeling?"

"I'm good." He stretched a big contented cat stretch. "Want to go patrolling?"

She put her plate on the floor and climbed onto the bed. "First things first."

*****

The night was drizzly as they walked hand in hand towards the Hyperion. "How'd you know?" he asked her. "About the apocalypse and all? Red?"

"Red what? Oh, you mean Willow." She wrapped her arm around his and snuggled closer. "Nope. Dreams. Prophetic Slayer dreams. A ton of them. All calling us here."

"And just when Evil thinks it's got things all wrapped up."

"Oh, yes. Fatal mistake. But imagine my surprise when right in the middle of my dream stood my dead boyfriend."

"Shocking." He stopped. "Wait. So Andrew didn't tell you I was alive?"

"Andrew? How would Andrew know? Wait a minute, he was in LA. He knew then?"

"Well, that and Rome."

"Rome?"

"Ah... How did you know about that thing with your blood and the poison?"

"Blood thing?" It was her turn to fluster. "Oh, it just seemed obvious, you know. Slayer. Vampire. Blood."

"Well, it was a good call. Thanks."

"Any time." She squeezed his arm. "No, I mean it. Any time. It was ... wow. All that time we were sleeping together... and you never... so I didn't..."

"It's dangerous Buffy. Hard to keep control. And I never want to hurt you again."

"I know, but..." She stopped and wrapped her arms around him, looking up into his eyes. "How about special occasions only. Like anniversaries?"

"What are you saying, Buffy?"

"I'm saying you're the long haul guy."

Their lips met, drops forming little rivulets down their foreheads and over their mouths, as the rain fell.


End file.
